Jerusalem Cowboy

Meet Natie Charles, the Prince of Tales.

If you wander the streets of Jerusalem’s Jewish Quarter long enough, there’s a good chance you’ll stumble upon a sight that may at first seem out of place. Don’t let appearances fool you. The pistol-toting cowboy in the Stetson is as much a part of that neighborhood as the Jerusalem stone that lines its narrow alleyways.

If you know Natie Charles even casually, you’ll know what to expect next: A trademark smile that can light up the darkest day, a warm pat on the back, and “How you doing buddy!” that will leave you certain you’re the most special person in the universe. When you see him, there’s a good chance that this 89 year old man with the energy of a 20 year old will be on his way to the Beit Midrash (House of Torah Study). Once again, don’t let appearances fool you. This cowboy’s career as a Jewish scholar may be the latest chapter of his life, but this ain’t his first rodeo.

Natie Charles has led about as interesting and colorful a life as anyone can wish for, which is what makes his recently published memoir, Charles, Prince of Tales such an easy read, filled with entertaining stories about airplanes, knife throwing, crop dusting, juvenile pranks, brushes with the mafia; even a hilarious anecdote involving a cow and an open convertible. But behind the action-packed exploits of this hard-working, successful entrepreneur is the touching story of a simple Jew, who although religiously unaffiliated, never loses sight of his roots, until a near fatal head-on collision prompts him to leave it all behind for a new life in the Promised Land.

To me, the story of Natie Charles goes way beyond simple entertainment. It’s personal. In fact, there’s even a chapter about me and my family in his book. I met Natie and his late wife “Bubby” Irma when I moved to Israel to study in Yeshivat Aish HaTorah in 1983, and it didn’t take long for me to become a full-fledged member of their household. I still lived in the dorm like everyone else, but the House of Charles, as it was fondly known, became my home away from home. It was more than just a place where I could hang out, shmooze and eat a home-cooked meal. It was a place where I could feel accepted, loved and special. It was also a place where I would learn first-hand what it means to build a Jewish home.

The sages in Pirkei Avot state: “Let your house be open wide, and treat the poor as members of your household.” (Avot- 1:5) The House of Charles was certainly open wide. By the time I arrived on the scene, it was already filled with an assortment of American, Canadian and British students who had recently relocated to Israel. But what was far more impressive was how we all literally became members of their household. This was no small feat, especially when it came to me, because I was somewhat shy and could easily feel like I was imposing. But in the House of Charles, I didn’t just feel at home; I felt downright entitled - and I have no doubt this was true for all of us.

Natie and Irma’s selfless vision of us as family was so deep and congruent that it literally forged us into one. In fact to this very day, almost 30 years later, when I see one of my former “brothers or sisters,” I still feel that connection. I am in awe of their remarkable ability to create that bond. My wife and I have hosted countless numbers of guests over the past 20 years, but we’ve never produced that sense of belonging and camaraderie. In fact, I’ve never experienced anything like it anywhere else.

The house of Charles exemplifies what the Jewish home is meant to be. The true power of the Jewish home is not its material wealth or even the shelter that it bestows. Rather, it is to be found in the love, warmth and acceptance that it can provide to those who are in need of it. Our home and our possessions can make a tremendous impact on the world when used in the service of something higher than our own personal needs. In fact, Judaism teaches that our home can and should be a place where God’s presence can be tangibly felt. In spite of all of the adventures Natie and Irma lived through over all these years, the house that they built in Jerusalem is truly the greatest chapter in their lives.

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About the Author

Rabbi Mark Spiro brings more than 20 years of teaching and counseling experience to bear in his role as Executive Director of LivingJudaism. His clear, insightful and caring approach has helped thousands of individuals discover a Judaism that is both profoundly deep and refreshingly relevant to the most important issues and concerns in their lives. Originally from New Rochelle, NY, Rabbi Spiro attended Cornell University School of Architecture and Aish HaTorah’s College of Jewish studies in Jerusalem, where he received his rabbinic ordination in 1989. He has since served in leadership roles in numerous communities around the world, including as Assistant Director of Aish’s advanced study program in Jerusalem, Educational Director of Aish HaTorah in Washington D.C. and South Florida, and Executive Director of Aish HaTorah in San Francisco. Rabbi Spiro and his wife Heather have 4 children. When not working, he enjoys getting outdoors to mow the lawn, hiking, skiing, music, and martial arts. He also teaches and serves as Managing Director of Seattle’s Hebrew High.

Visitor Comments: 7

(7)
Robin Sue Landsburg,
November 3, 2011 7:09 PM

Open Door Policy

My husband, Billy, and I were planning on renting an apt. in the Old City in Jerusalem in 1974 for six months.
After calling home, I found out that my sister was to be married in the US, so now we had a deadline of returning home. Uncle Natie and Aunt Irma, as we called them, open their home to us where we stayed for 6 weeks. The time that we spent with them was one of our fondest memories and bonded us with them for a lifetime. Even though they were "fake" relatives, we feel (and felt, in Aunt Irma's case) as close to them as one human being can feel to another.
When one feels that chesed, it is proof that the divine spark of HASHEM rests in all of us. Baruch HASHEM.
May Uncle Natie live to 120 and beyond with his Nechama.

(6)
Chaim in America,
November 3, 2011 5:44 PM

Loved His Book

on Amazon they want 50$, bought the ebook on BN.com for eight. It was a delightful read.
It is a real kiddush hashem to hear about such a wonderful jew. Thank you!

(5)
lisa,
November 3, 2011 2:44 AM

COWBOY FUDGE!!!!

I actually worked for Natie ......it was one of the best jobs I had......his personality , however, was what the customers really came in for!!

(4)
Chanan,
November 3, 2011 1:11 AM

My hero

We love you Natie! Good job Mark. Only problem is they will have to print more of his book after this.

(3)
Yitti Bisk,
October 31, 2011 6:09 PM

Home away from home

When you went to visit the Charles, you were never a guest--you felt at HOME!

(2)
Cedric & Vreni Levy,
October 30, 2011 2:20 PM

Natie and Irma's open house

We have also known Bubby Irma (z"l) and Natie for the last 40 years. We never imagined 25 years ago that our daughter Esther and Ephraim, her future husband would meet for the first time in the house of Charles. It was indeed a blessed meeting.
Until today Natie is still awaiting his shadchan fee,

(1)
Chana Gilman,
October 30, 2011 1:52 PM

Buy the Book!

I too was a member of the House of Charles. Truly a gift in my life.
I encourage everyone to buy Natie's book. It is a great read and you will not believe it is true...but it is!

I'm told that it's a mitzvah to become intoxicated on Purim. This puzzles me, because to my understanding, it is not considered a good thing to become intoxicated, period.

One of the characteristics of the at-risk youth is their use of drugs, including alcohol. In my experience, getting drunk doesn't reveal secrets. It makes people act stupid and irresponsible, doing things they would never do if they were sober. Also, I know a lot about the horrible health effects of abusing alcohol, because I work at a research center that focuses on addiction and substance abuse.

Also, I am an alcoholic, which means that if I drink, very bad things happen. I have not had a drink in 22 years, and I have no intention of starting now. Surely there must be instances where a person is excused from the obligation to drink. I don't see how Judaism could ever promote the idea of getting drunk. It just doesn't seem right.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Putting aside for a moment all the spiritual and philosophical reasons for getting drunk on Purim, this remains an issue of common sense. Of course, teenagers should be warned of the dangers of acute alcohol ingestion. Of course, nobody should drink and drive. Of course, nobody should become so drunk to the point of negligence in performing mitzvot. And of course, a recovering alcoholic should not partake of alcohol on Purim.

Indeed, the Code of Jewish Law explicitly says that if one suspects the drinking may affect him negatively, then he should NOT drink.

Getting drunk on Purim is actually one of the most difficult mitzvot to do correctly. A person should only drink if it will lead to positive spiritual results - e.g. under the loosening affect of the alcohol, greater awareness will surface of the love for God and Torah found deep in the heart. (Perhaps if we were on a higher spiritual level, we wouldn't need to get drunk!)

Yet the Talmud still speaks of an obligation on Purim of "not knowing the difference between Blessed is Mordechai and Cursed is Haman." How then should a person who doesn't drink get the point of “not knowing”? Simple - just go to sleep! (Rama - OC 695:2)

All this applies to individuals. But the question remains - does drinking on Purim adversely affect the collective social health of the Jewish community?

The aversion to alcoholism is engrained into Jewish consciousness from a number of Biblical and Talmudic sources. There are the rebuking words of prophets - Isaiah 28:1, Hosea 3:1 with Rashi, and Amos 6:6, and the Zohar says that "The wicked stray after wine" (Midrash Ne'alam Parshat Vayera).

It is well known that the rate of alcoholism among Jews has historically been very low. Numerous medical, psychological and sociological studies have confirmed this. The connection between Judaism and sobriety is so evident, that the following conversation is reported by Lawrence Kelemen in "Permission to Receive":

When Dr. Mark Keller, editor of the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, commented that "practically all Jews do drink, and yet all the world knows that Jews hardly ever become alcoholics," his colleague, Dr. Howard Haggard, director of Yale's Laboratory of Applied Physiology, jokingly proposed converting alcoholics to the Jewish religion in order to immerse them in a culture with healthy attitudes toward drinking!

Perhaps we could suggest that it is precisely because of the use of alcohol in traditional ceremonies (Kiddush, Bris, Purim, etc.), that Jews experience such low rates of alcoholism. This ceremonial usage may actually act like an inoculation - i.e. injecting a safe amount that keeps the disease away.

Of course, as we said earlier, all this needs to be monitored with good common sense. Yet in my personal experience - having been in the company of Torah scholars who were totally drunk on Purim - they acted with extreme gentleness and joy. Amid the Jewish songs and beautiful words of Torah, every year the event is, for me, very special.

Adar 12 marks the dedication of Herod's renovations on the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 11 BCE. Herod was king of Judea in the first century BCE who constructed grand projects like the fortresses at Masada and Herodium, the city of Caesarea, and fortifications around the old city of Jerusalem. The most ambitious of Herod's projects was the re-building of the Temple, which was in disrepair after standing over 300 years. Herod's renovations included a huge man-made platform that remains today the largest man-made platform in the world. It took 10,000 men 10 years just to build the retaining walls around the Temple Mount; the Western Wall that we know today is part of that retaining wall. The Temple itself was a phenomenal site, covered in gold and marble. As the Talmud says, "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building."

Some people gauge the value of themselves by what they own. But in reality, the entire concept of ownership of possessions is based on an illusion. When you obtain a material object, it does not become part of you. Ownership is merely your right to use specific objects whenever you wish.

How unfortunate is the person who has an ambition to cleave to something impossible to cleave to! Such a person will not obtain what he desires and will experience suffering.

Fortunate is the person whose ambition it is to acquire personal growth that is independent of external factors. Such a person will lead a happy and rewarding life.

With exercising patience you could have saved yourself 400 zuzim (Berachos 20a).

This Talmudic proverb arose from a case where someone was fined 400 zuzim because he acted in undue haste and insulted some one.

I was once pulling into a parking lot. Since I was a bit late for an important appointment, I was terribly annoyed that the lead car in the procession was creeping at a snail's pace. The driver immediately in front of me was showing his impatience by sounding his horn. In my aggravation, I wanted to join him, but I saw no real purpose in adding to the cacophony.

When the lead driver finally pulled into a parking space, I saw a wheelchair symbol on his rear license plate. He was handicapped and was obviously in need of the nearest parking space. I felt bad that I had harbored such hostile feelings about him, but was gratified that I had not sounded my horn, because then I would really have felt guilty for my lack of consideration.

This incident has helped me to delay my reactions to other frustrating situations until I have more time to evaluate all the circumstances. My motives do not stem from lofty principles, but from my desire to avoid having to feel guilt and remorse for having been foolish or inconsiderate.

Today I shall...

try to withhold impulsive reaction, bearing in mind that a hasty act performed without full knowledge of all the circumstances may cause me much distress.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...